Convertible boat chair and carrier



Aug. 30, 1949. w. H. ELSTON CONVERTIBLE BOAT CHAIR AND CARRIER Filed Feb. 21, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l W. H- ELSTON CONVERTIBLE BOAT CHAIR AND CARRIER Aug. 30, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 21-, 1947 Patented Aug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,480,402 7 g I CONVERTIBLE BOAT CHAIR AND CARRIER 7 William H. Elston, Highland Park, Ill. 7

Application February 21, 1947, Serial No. 729,975

. 1 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a convertible boat chair and carrier, and particularly to a novel and useful folding detachable boat chair adaptable as a rack or carrier for transporting an outboard motor in knapsack fashion.

The essential feature of the invention is the adaptability of a folding detachable boat chair as a device for transporting an outboard motor, with the additional feature of providing a storage rack for an outboard motor when the motor is not in use. The invention achieves these objective utilities by providing a folding detachable boat chair that can be clamped to the conventional transverse boat seat and provided with comfortable seat and back rest, and arm rests. A swivel may also be provided to permit the seat to rotate freely on a vertical axis when clamped in position. The chair is so constructed that it may be extended or unfolded to a straight line position, such that it may be conveniently carried on a persons back in knapsack fashion by means of shoulder straps. By providing a motor mounting support on the rear of the back to which an outboard motor maybe clamped by the use of the conventional thumb screws provided, the boat chair, in its extended position, becomes immediately adaptable as a rack and carrier for an outboard motor. When the boat chair is in its extended position, the arms of the chair can be folded back so as to provide a base support that enables the rack with the motor attached to stand in a vertical position when resting on the ground, offering a convenient means for storing the motor and a necessary means for holding the carrier in an upright position while putting on or taking off the shoulder straps.

Since this invention embodies both a folding detachable boat chair and a rack and carrier for an outboard motor, the description to follow will treat the invention first in its position as a boat chair (designated and hereinafter referred to as position 1) and secondly, in its extended or unfolded position in which it may be carried in knapsack fashion, and in which position it may comprise a rack and carrier for an outboard motor (designated and hereinafter referred to as position 2).

With the above objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described, the combination and arrangement of parts being clearly shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the numerals of reference designate corresponding parts of the invention in its positions 1 and 2, and throughout the several views thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the chair in position 1, clamped in position on a transverse boat seat.

Fig, 2 is a detailed view in perspective of the chair extended or unfolded to its position 2 to be carried knapsack fashion, and

Fig. 3 illustrates the manner in which the boat chair, when in position 2, may be used as a motor rack and carrier. I

Referring first to Fig. 1, the boat chair comprises essentially a seat portion 5, a back rest 6, and arm rests l, I, which boat chair can be attached, as shown, to a transverse boat seat 8, by means of a clamp 9. In the basic construction of the boat chair, the framework I0 is of metal, and the seat portion 5, and back rest 6, may be covered. with suitable waterproof material padded with kapok, or merely of canvas material stretched over the framework II]. The framework I 0, forming the back 6, is joined to the framework forming the seat 5 at pivot point I2. The back 6 is supported in its folded position 1 by the arms I, I which are fastened to the seat 5 at pivot point I3, and to the back 6 by the engagement of the spring-held pins I4, I4 with the holes Ma, Ila suitably located on the side members of the framework ID of the seat 5. The motor mounting support I5, secured to the framework of the back 6 forms, with the seat back 6, a receptacle for the stowing of spare motor parts,

tools, startin cord, and carrying straps when not in use.

Fig. 2 shows the chair extended to its position 2. The conversion of the boat chair from its position 1 (Fig. 1) to its extended position 2 (Fig. 2) is brought about in the following manner:

The arm rests I, I are disengaged by the springheld pins l4, l4, permitting the back 6 to hinge freely at pivot points I2, I2 such that the angle formed by the intersection of the back 6, with the seat 5, may be extended to form a straight angle, being secured in this straight angle position by the mating of the holes I6, I6 at the end of the seat framework projection with the springheld pins 21, '21 suitably located and extending through the framework II) of the back 6. The arm rests 1, I can now be swung back and around until the spring-held pins located below the elbows of the arm rests, align with the holes Ha, I la suitably located in the framework It] forming the seat 5, thereby providing a base support 20, as shown in Fig. 2. The shoulder straps 2|, 2|, Fig. 2, can be of either leather or cotton webbing. The straps 2|, 2|, are secured by any suitable means at a position 23 near the center of the back 6. The straps 2!, 2| are adjustable in length and provided with suitable studs Zla, Zla at the free ends to permit them to be hooked into the holes Ma, Ma. As shown in Fig. 3, the backboard of the tool receptacle forms a motor mounting support substantially secured to the framework of the back 6 by plates 24, 24 so that the outboard motor 25 can be detachably secured to the receptacle bracket by the usual clamping devices. A wood filler 26 is incorporated with the metal receptacle bracket to approximate the thickness of the average boat transom.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the invention described embodies a folding detachable boat chair of the class indicated, so designed and constructed that it is readily and simply unfolded into a substantially flat'surface for comfortable carrying in knapsack fashion, and in which position it is adapted for use as a rack and carrier for an outboard motor, such that a heavy outboard motor, otherwise burdensome, can be comfortably and conveniently transported on a persons back, leaving both hands free. The advantages and uniqueness of a detachable boat chair embodying these several utilities in a single lightweight unit can be immediately appreciated by campers, fishermen and sportsmen.

While I have described and illustrated the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a removable boat chair, a pair of rigid arm rest portions lying substantially parallel with the boat seat and portions formed at an acute angle thereto pivotally connected at the forward edge of the seat, a bar connecting the unpivoted ends of the arms behind the chair back, means to attach the unpivoted ends of said arms to the back to support the back at a comfortable angle with the seat, the seat and back being pivoted to one another at their junction and being adapted to be unfolded into a plane, means to attach the acute angle portions of the arms into parallelism with the edges of the seat when the seat and back are unfolded into a plane, the bar and the front edge of the seat serving as a rest to hold the seat and back in a plane substantially vertical to the plane upon which the unfolded chair rests.

2. In a combined boat chair and motor carrier, means for hinging the back and seat together so that they may be unfolded into a plane, means to support an outboard motor on the rear of the back, and arm rests for the chair adapted to be swung to a position behind the seat and back when the seat and back are unfolded into a plane in which position the arm rests serve as feet to hold the unfolded chair and motor in a substantially vertical position on a level surface.

3. A folding detachable boat chair, a motor mounting support attached thereto, the back and seat of said boat chair being so hinged as to permit unfolding the one away from the other, arm rests for supporting the back of said chair, means for securing the seat and back in a straight line position, when unfolded the arms serving as a base support for a rack and motor carrier, a harness means for securing said rack and carrier to a person's back in knapsack fashion for the purpose of transporting an outboard motor.

4. In a folding detachable boat chair, including a seat portion and a back portion pivotally connected to said seat portion, normally horizontal arm rest members having downwardly depending portions at the front thereof, said depending portions being pivoted at the forward edge of said seat, and said horizontal members being detachably secured at their rear ends to the side members of said back portion; whereby said arm rests can be detached from said back and rearwardly rotated about their pivot to a position wherein said depending portions of said arm rests lie parallel to and alongside the side frame of the seat, in which position the normally horizontal arm rest members will angularly extend back from the seat such that the forward edge of the seat and the rear ends of the arm rests lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to that of the seat surface, and means for securing the arm rests in this latter position.

WILLIAM H. ELSTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,129,732 Ross Feb. 23, 1915 1,196,731 Clark Aug. 29, 1916 1,296,619 Bulat Mar. 11, 1919 1,721,366 Blackstrom July 16, 1929 

